Lap Vs RNY?

Ok everybody.First I want to thank all of you for your replies.All the info I`ve been getting has been great! You all are such a great bunch of people.Hec,I`m on here more now than I am at my 2nd? home?Myspace.lol. Ok.I am going to give the RNY another concideration.So everyone flood me with info.I want to know everyone`s opinions about BOTH the LapBand and RNY.Your experiences with which ever one you had done,what you had to do from beginning to end,what you didn`t have to do,what you like and dislike about the procedures,tests,any and all info you can flood me with,weather it`s good or bad.I have to know everything if I`m going to concider the RNY.I`m about tired of trying on the lapband and I may,just may,switch to the RNY if I can get rid of my fears about it.Untill I start getting info in,I`ll start looking on here to see where the closest surgeon & hospital is to me that both takes IL medicaid.Thanks you wonderful people Kim

Hey there Kim, I'm glad to hear that you are opening your mind to both. I have done alot of research on both of surgeries and what I discovered is that both have risks and good points. My mother had the RNY done 14 months ago and has lost 125 lbs and looks amazing;I on the other hand have a very complex medical history and am in the process of getting the Band done.I was all for RNY but my doctors won't sign off on it but they will the Band so it all is a personal decision; OH along with other sites have helped me learn about the surgeries.  Good luck to you but in the end you will do what's best for you.

Kim, I agree with Melissa. It is a personal decision, what you need to do, and what the doctor reccomends to you.

Personally, I am going for lapband. I like the idea that if there is a major reason, they can reverse it. With RNY they can't.  One downside of the Lapband is that you lose slower and also need to go for fills. But then again, you aren't going to have your stomach cut. With RNY, you will lose faster, but with the lapband, you  will catch up.  With the lapband, it is not as invastive and you are in and out of surgery faster, and you heal faster.  Whatever choice you make will be thr right one for you.  Lisa

Hey Kim ... just an FYI ... (someone may have already mentioned this though, sorry I haven't read the thread yet) ... some insurance companies are more apt to "approve" RNY as opposed to lapband, only because they may still consider lapband somewhat "experimental" ... although most, if not all are coming around ... so it just may be easier to get the gastric bypass approved. Best to ya girl, Karyn

Hi Karyn,Lisa & Melissa. Yeah I`ve noticed that it is easier to get the Bypass and RNY approved than it is the LapBand.I like the idea of losing the weight faster with RNY & you don`t have to keep going back for fills but I don`t like the idea of it being non reversable and the slower healing time.But?I guess my lazy son & husband will just have to Buck up and help with me and the house work a little longer won`t they?!The time in the hospital is not too much longer than with the lapband,that I can live with.lol..But there are goods and bads with all the diff.types of surgery.I know I am going to follow all the rules and do what the Doctor`s tell me to do because I want this weight off of me.But the main thing I`m worried about is after the surgery with the dumping and sliming.One thing I absolutely can not stand is throwing up.I avoid it at all costs.I have this lil habit when I feel like I`m going to throw up I go back & forth panting like when your in labor then taking one or two slow deep breaths.LMAO.But hey.It works!!! Thanks Ladies.I feel a little better now.I`m sure in the end I will choose the best one for me.

Have a good evening Kim

Hi Kim - I had "open gastric bypass" and was back to work 1 1/2 wks after surgery.  So to say the recovery time is a lot longer I guess depends on the individual.  When my surgeon shows the comparisons, RNY patients may stay a day or two longer in the hospital but he shows the recovery time equal provided no unforseen complications.   Personally I'm very, very happy with my decision.  When people talk about never being able to eat something again.. That's not true.  It's all in moderation and of course the choices you personally make.  I have never tried / tested the waters with sugar.  It's a big head game to me so I don't want to know if I can tolerate sugar.  There are plenty of other things out there that satisfy my needs that are made w/ splenda.  So it has not been an issue.  Also, for me, my taste buds have changed, my thinking has changed and I don't want that "stuff" any longer.  I want to be healthy, happy and free of the life I once had so I have to keep focused on the end result. I do not in any way feel as if I have deprived myself. By the way, it will be one year on Aug 30th and I have not once thrown up.  So put that fear aside unless you are willing to "test" the waters and then you may be sorry. Best of luck on your decision. Christina

Yeah I`ve noticed in what I`ve been reading and in different patients reviews of the different procedures,that all of the advantages,disadvantages and the after effects mainly depend on each individuals,situatuion and tolerences.Well,I`m hoping that no matter whet procedure I decide to have,I will no longer be hungry all the time and I WON`T crave the bad stuff.As long as I can get those two,I know I`ll be fine,And If I don`t I`ll just have to bite the bullet and fight like hell because this weight IS coming off!!! I have decided tho the procedure I will have will be laproscopic.I started over a year ago trying to add 1 or 2 new things onto my grocery list,each month,as we are severly struggeling to make ends meet,and I don`t want to deprive the rest of my family.Weather it be low fat-nonfat/fatfree,sugar free or even reduced calorie.A lot of stuff that`s out there is NASTY.lol.I`m always on the lookout for something new & different that is better for me & new & different ideas of making things.But I`ve even gone as far as flavoring my bottled water with sugar free jello just to keep off the pop & tea.I hav`nt found a diet one yet that I like,not even with splenda.And I use sugar free pudding with 2%milk(hav`nt gotten to like anything lower),to make pudding popcicles.And I know Splenda is by far the best no cal sweetner out there,but it still has that weird taste & I don`t like it in a lot of stuff.So I try to do half splenda and half reg.sugar.And one time I sent off to a few places to get free samples of protien drinks to try to see if i was going to like them.The ones I got were pretty tasty.So I know everything does`nt taste horrible,I just have to keep looking and trying new things when I find them.Noooo,if there`s a chance in something making me sick after surgery I won`t even attempt fate.lol.I`d rather have to have a shot than to throw up. Thank you so much.You have been great help. Hope you have a great day. Kim

Christina is right; my mother who had the RNY said that her tastes have changed too; I've never known her to eat peanut butter ad now she loves it...go figure.  Kim, remember though that you can throw up with the Lap Band also and that foods can be a hit or a miss so please don't forget that.

Well that`s what I`m hoping for because I really want this to work no matter what procedure I go with.But the more I learn,the more I`m leaning toward RNY.SO I think I`m going to start my surgeon search all over but for the RNY instead of the Lab-Band.My other concern is the previous weight loss attempts.I`ve been on Adepex for a year thru my pcp.I go in once a month to weigh in and have my blood pressure checked before they will give me my next script.Because Adepex can have an effect on blood pressure.One place I called said they couldn`t except that as a weight loss attempt.They said they needed me to be on a "so many calorie a day"diet monitored by my phisician or gone thru a dietician.And here I thought I was doing a good source with the Adepex.Besides that the only other things I`ve been thru are Slim fast,Richard Simons,Dexitrim,That Hollywood drink stuff,& other things I`ve tried to do on my own.Another place wants 18 months of documented weight loss attempts.And I have to stop now.I`ve tried so many times and failed.But I know to have this surgery I HAVE TO DO IT!!! I have a booklet called Quit Assist that I`m reading now.It has all kinds of resources and ideas for things I can do to help me quit.My biggest problem for quitting is Stress.I have sooo much stress in my life.But that`s the next thing I`m starting.Once I finish reading the book,I`m going to pick my stop date and go from there.Which will be very very soon.Man I have a lot of obsticles to overcome. Take care my OH friends and try to stay cool today. Kim

THE RNY IS REVERSABLE... IF NEEDED ... SOMEONE POSTED ON THE MAIN BOARD AWHILE BACK ABOUT GETTING HERS REVERSED...SO IT CAN BE DONE...I FOR ONE NEVER WANT MINE REVERSED.. I WANT TO LIVE WITH MY POUCH FOREVER IF POSSIBLE.... BUT IT IS NICE TO KNOW THAT IF FOR HEALTH REASONS I CAN BE REVERSED..